Pats Pulpit
The New England Patriots’ win streak remains alive. Despite a slow start, the team of head coach Mike Vrabel was able to celebrate a 31-13 win versus the Tennessee Titans to improve to 5-2 on the year.
Here is a Patriots-centric view at some of the key moments of the game.
Despite the rather lopsided result, the Patriots were slow out of the gate and found themselves trailing 10-3 midway through the second quarter. Their passing game in particular looked a bit out of sync at that point, but it all changed on a beautiful pass from Drake Maye to Mack Hollins down the right sideline — a 22-yard gain to kickstart New England’s aerial attack.
Three plays after Drake Maye’s completion to Mack Hollins, the second-year quarterback threw his first touchdown pass of the afternoon, a 3-yarder to former Titan Austin Hooper. The veteran tight end had gotten behind the defense but worked back toward the ball to haul it in over cornerback L’Jarius Sneed — a play bringing back memories of former Patriots wide receiver Randy Moss.
The Patriots again found themselves trailing later in the second period. Facing a three-point deficit inside the two-minute warning, however, they had a chance to take some momentum into the half — and so they did thanks to Drake Maye and Kayshon Boutte connecting on a 39-yard touchdown. The play itself was an impressive display by both players, with the quarterback leading the wideout away from the defense and him making an outstanding catch with his fingertips.
The Patriots looked like they were about to add to their 17-13 halftime lead on the opening series of the second half when disaster struck: following a 6-yard scramble, Drake Maye hit his helmet on the turf and was pulled from the game shortly thereafter for a medical checkup.
Maye twice had to go through concussion checks as a rookie in 2024 — including one that saw him leave the game — and this was another scary moment for the young quarterback. However, he and the team dodged a bullet: while he did miss three offensive snaps, he returned quickly from the blue medical tent to reenter the game and lead his team to victory.
Football can be a rollercoaster, and the Patriots experienced as much on that first series of the third quarter. After Maye’s brief exit, they found themselves facing a 4th-and-1 — one that was converted in highlight-reel fashion:
DeMario Douglas’ one-handed catch kept the series going, and one play later Rhamondre Stevenson walked into the end zone for six points. It was a successful and satisfying end to a drive that saw plenty of drama.
The Rhamondre Stevenson touchdown gave the Patriots some wiggle room. The very next play from scrimmage effectively...
